For the Steelers to have won the previous time they played the New England Patriots in Massachusetts, they would have had to score 56 points.

That might be what they need Thursday night, two years after their 55-31 shellacking in Foxborough, although defensive end Cam Heyward takes issue with those who think that way.

“We admit that,” Heyward said of the day Tom Brady hung 432 yards and four touchdowns on the Steelers in November 2013. “But I have full faith in my defense. I don’t think we’re going to let the wheels fall off this time.”

Nearly to a man, the Steelers said they wanted to face Brady in the opener, and, thanks to a federal judge in Manhattan, they will get him.

They’ve never beaten Brady in Foxborough and, with all due respect to Heyward, if they manage the upset Thursday, it likely will have to come at the hands of what should be their prolific offense.

Ben Roethlisberger and Co. comprised one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2014 and had everyone coming back until the suspensions of Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant and the injury to Maurkice Pouncey threw them somewhat off track. Nevertheless, while the Patriots have Brady, the Steelers believe they have his match in Roethlisberger.

“Oh, yeah, all day,” tackle Marcus Gilbert said. “I have my quarterback any day of the week. He proved it last year.”

Roethlisberger tied for the passing lead in the NFL last season and at 33 seems to have put it in yet another gear.

“I’m taking him in any situation against anybody in the NFL,” Heyward said. “He has Super Bowls just like that guy and I like to think he operates better than anybody under pressure.”

Roethlisberger virtually matched Brady in that Foxborough shootout in the eighth game of the 2013 season. He threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns as well and had his team trailing 27-24 in the fourth quarter. The difference: Roethlisberger was intercepted twice, Brady not at all.

“The last time we went up there we just weren’t in tune with what was going on,” guard Ramon Foster said. “We have to be a better team than we were last time we went to Foxborough.”

They should be a better offense, one whose goal is to score 30 points a game. Do they need to double that to win Thursday?

“However the game plays out, we have to match it or exceed their intensity,” Gilbert said. “We know they’re capable of scoring a lot of points, especially with Tom Brady in there.

“With the type of dudes we have on offense, we’re capable of scoring 30-plus points a game. We just have to handle our business and score more points than they do.”

With Brady back in the saddle, that might take plenty.

“He’s one of the best quarterbacks of our generation for sure and probably all time,” tight end Heath Miller said. “But our mind-set is not going to change – every time we get the ball we’re going to try to put it in the end zone, no matter who’s on the other side.”

The Steelers never have been on the other side of one of these Kickoff Classics. They had two at home and won both. The home team has won 11 of the 13 Kickoff Classics. Even the Broncos beat the Super Bowl champ Ravens when the game was moved to Denver because of a baseball conflict in Baltimore. The emotion that goes with that kind of game for the home team combined with the whole issue of Deflategate and what Brady had to go through to be able to play in this game could provide an even bigger boost for the Patriots.

“Obviously, they’re the reigning champs and they have players who are All-Pro, but we have those, too – on defense and offense,” Heyward said. “For anybody who thinks it’s going to be 55-45, you’re mistaken. It’s going to be a very close game, and I don’t think it’s going to reach that.”

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